Winter's Edge
by pianoplayer23
Summary: Edward is in desperate need of a vacation after life at home and at work becomes too much. He heads north and meets the outgoing Bella! Complications arise. Rated M for future chapters. All human.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or any of its characters. That honour belongs solely to Stephenie Meyer, lucky gal!

A/N: So this is my first fic posted here, and I hope you all enjoy it! This was not originally a Twilight fic, I wrote it for something else, but am tweaking it for Twilight. I would love some reviews, and any constructive criticism is appreciated! As a note, I started this story long ago, and my writing has changed for the better. I have ten completed chapters, and they will be posted regularly! Enjoy!

**CHAPTER 1**

*_Oh God, I really needed this vacation* _Edward thought, as he stepped off the train onto the platform. He stretched his legs and his back; being on a train for 18 hours definitely makes you stiff. Running a hand through his tousled bronze locks, he looked around him and noticed only a few people had gotten off the train. "Wow, I guess I really did come to the middle of nowhere," Edward muttered to himself, heading into the tiny train station. *_Literally*_ Edward smiled as he looked at a map of where he was. No official towns close by; he was simply in Northern Ontario, forest land. Turning from the map and grabbing his suitcase, Edward headed out to the front of the tiny, old fashioned building to see if he could locate his ride. Pushing the heavy glass door Edward emerged on a faded wooden porch and his jaw dropped at the sight in front of him. Stretching out in front of him, as far as he could see was green. The trees seemed to go on forever, swallowing up the railroad tracks that cut in between them. The only thing that seemed out of place was the dirt road that ran in front of the station. Looking to the left, Edward saw a Jeep parked a little way past the station, with a middle-aged man leaning against the door, a friendly expression on his tanned face. He stepped off the porch, brushing some dust off of his dark jeans. The man from the Jeep strode forward.

"Mr. Cullen?" At Edward's nod, the man extended his hand and firmly shook Edward's. "Hey! I'm Scott; I'll be taking you up to the chalet! Let me grab your bag!" Scott leaned down and hoisted Edward's black suitcase and loaded it into the Jeep.

"Thanks," was all Edward had time to say before Scott was climbing into the driver's seat. He shook his head and smiled and climbed into the passenger's side, fastening his seatbelt.

"So Edward, what brings you all the way out to North River, and all by yourself too?" Scott asked as he put the Jeep into drive and started down the bumpy dirt road.

"Just needed a break from LA," Edward shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I wanted to go somewhere where there isn't…anybody," he let out a short, rough laugh.

"Well, this is the right spot then. Aside from you, we only have three other guests right now; a couple and their daughter. Sound like what you're looking for?" Scott turned his blonde head and glanced at Edward, before turning his attention back to the rough road.

"Sounds great," Edward murmured, staring out the window, idly gazing at the various scenes the vast forest had to offer.

Forty-five minutes later, Scott turned the vehicle into a small lane off of the road, and pulled into the parking lot of the gorgeous, chalet-style resort. Edward jumped out of the Jeep, glad to have a moment away from the over-cheerful Scott. Not that Scott was a bad guy; he had just chattered the entire drive to the chalet, oblivious to Edward's obvious grouchiness.

"Right up here Mr. Cullen," Scott said, annoyingly flashing that broad smile again. Edward bit back a comment and immediately felt guilty. So, instead, Edward smiled and followed obediently, up the wooden steps and into the log-constructed building. It looked like your typical cabin on first glance, but Edward noticed some of the details, such as the highly polished floors, the state-of-the-art entertainment system off at the far end of the room. The computer set up at the reception desk also added a modern touch.

There was a friendly-faced woman standing behind the desk, grinning broadly at Edward as he approached. Scott went behind the desk and put his arm around the short blonde's shoulders. "Edward, I'd like you to meet my wife Melinda! Melinda, honey, this is Edward Cullen," Scott smiled as Edward reached across the desk and shook Melinda's work-weathered hand.

"Nice to meet you," he smiled at her.

"Oh the pleasure's mine dear! Welcome to North River! Now, I'll just have Scott take your suitcase up to your room, and I'll get you some hot chocolate and a snack. You must be tired after the long ride today!" Melinda waved Scott up the stairs and took Edward by the arm and led him into the dining room. "Now you just sit here and I'll bring you some cookies! I made some rocky road ones today!" Melinda bustled into the kitchen, leaving Edward by himself.

He dropped his head into his hands and sighed. All he wanted was to escape to his room and get in a good night's sleep. But he couldn't let himself be rude; these kind people hadn't done anything to him. He'd just have to be patient. Sitting up as Melinda came back into the room, Edward gratefully accepted a steaming mug of hot chocolate and two cookies. Taking an appreciative sip, he immediately felt warmed and slightly more contented.

"Thank you Melinda, that's delicious," Edward spoke truthfully, and the matronly woman beamed with pleasure.

"Just let me know when you're ready to go up to your room dear, and we'll build you a fire!" Melinda hurried out of the dining room, and Edward saw her begin lighting a fire in the enormous fireplace in the sitting room. When he was finished with his drink and his cookies, Edward returned to the reception desk, where Scott found him and led him to his room.

Once he was by himself, and was warmed by the roaring fire Scott had started, Edward got himself ready for bed. His exhaustion suddenly hit him like a hammer and he could barely keep his eyes open. Crawling underneath the covers, he turned out the bedside lamp and wished that for once, he would get a decent, dreamless sleep.

Edward jolted awake the next morning in a panic. *Shit!! I'm late!* Untangling himself from the blankets, he glanced at the clock on the bedside table. Edward was alarmed to see that it was eleven a.m.! Scrambling out of the warm, comfortable bed, he pulled his jeans on and was just zipping up his rumpled hoodie when he glanced around the room and realized that he was not at his house in LA. Letting out a long, frustrated sigh, Edward flopped back onto the bed.

*First day off in months and I can't even wake up without freaking out* Edward thought sourly. He lay on the bed for awhile, thinking about work and family, and all the reasons he felt he had to get away. Close to noon hour, Edward sat up and resolved that he was going to be pleasant and _enjoy_ his vacation, not just use it to think miserable thoughts. Standing up, Edward unzipped his hoodie and headed into the bathroom where he took a long, hot shower, which helped calm him, and he came out in a significantly better mood.

Once he was changed into clean clothes, Edward headed down the stairs to the dining room to see about getting some lunch.

"Good afternoon sleepyhead!" Melinda gave Edward a big smile as he passed the check-in desk.

In his better mood, Edward found that her perkiness didn't irritate him nearly as much as it had the day before. "Hi Melinda," he gave her a broad smile that reached his green eyes, crinkling them at the corners.

"Did you have a good sleep? If you don't mind me saying, you looked exhausted yesterday," Melinda looked at Edward with such a motherly look, that he found himself liking this kind woman even more.

"I did, thank you," Edward answered, suddenly taking in Melinda's dishevelled appearance. She appeared to have flour all over her, and her blonde hair was tied back in a short, messy ponytail. "I'm sorry, am I keeping you?"

Melinda laughed, her blue eyes twinkling. "Just making bread, I haven't got the hang of doing it without making a mess yet." Melinda ushered Edward into the dining room and told him she would go make him a sandwich on some of her fresh bread.

Eating lunch by himself, Edward found it hard to keep up his new, cheery attitude, and decided it was from being cooped up indoors for so many months. Once he was finished his sandwich, Edward went up to his room to grab his vest, and ventured outside into the chilly November air. Spying a marked hiking trail leading into the dark forest, he thought he might indulge in a relaxing walk, until he saw the sign. DO NOT HIKE ALONE. BEAR DANGER.

"Bears…that's great, just great." Edward turned around, frustrated at now being cooped up AGAIN on his vacation of all things. As he turned, he ran into someone. "I'm so sorry…" Edward started to say, readjusting his sunglasses that had nearly fallen off his face in the collision.

"Forget it. I mean, I WAS going to ask if you needed someone to walk with, but if you're going to attack me, forget it," The girl he'd run into tossed her long brown hair, but then winked. "I'm Bella, the Outdoor Activities Manager." She shook hands with Edward. "So you want to go for a hike or not?" She walked on ahead of him, tossing a water bottle to him as she passed.

"Um…yeah," Edward replied, unsure as to what the hell had just happened.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, that honour belongs to Stephenie Meyer. **

**CHAPTER 2**

Edward jogged a few steps to catch up to Bella. "I didn't realize a place this small would have an…Outdoor Activities Manager. I mean, Scott and Melinda do everything else around here don't they?" Edward tossed his water bottle back and forth in his hands as he spoke.

"Well, Scott _used_ to do all the outdoor stuff, but he broke his leg and busted a knee last year. Then they hired me on. Anyway," Bella looked curiously at Edward. "Didn't Scott explain all this on the drive here? The rules about the outdoor activities and stuff?"

Edward shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "He might have, I wasn't really paying attention."

The brunette girl shook her head, and then reached up to push her hair behind her ears. "Rule number one: no guests allowed in the woods or on the river by themselves. Ever."

"Why not?"

"Um, did you NOT see the sign at the trailhead?" Bella rolled her brown eyes. "The forest is crawling with bears, and a whole bunch of other animals you _do not_ want to find when you're by yourself. And we don't want you to drown in the river either…." Bella trailed off, her attention wandering back to the trail in front of them.

Edward stayed silent. He felt like such a dumbass. It all made sense, of course. He concluded that his brain was just on temporary hiatus, in protest over being overworked for the past few years. The two walked in the silence for another half hour, the quiet not exactly awkward, but not entirely comfortable either. After a climb up a fairly steep section of the trail, Bella glanced back and saw Edward drinking deeply from his water bottle.

"Need a rest, city boy?" she winked at him and knelt down on the trail to retie her boot.

Edward shook his head, "No, I'm all right. Just, the most walking I've had time to do is on my treadmill." Edward closed his bottle and started walking again and Bella fell into step beside him, both enjoying the leisurely pace Edward set. "But this definitely beats the treadmill," he stated, looking around at the fabulous scenery. It was dark in the forest, even though the sun was high in the sky. It just peeked through the treetops, dappling the dirt trail with light, illuminating parts, casting others in long shadows.

"I don't think I could imagine what it would be like, not being able to get outside everyday," Bella commented, glancing down at her watch. "Well, I think we should head back before it starts getting dark and you get eaten by a bear," Bella stopped walking and grinned evilly.

"Ha ha," Edward responded sarcastically. "Along with any other creature you can sick on me, right?" he raised his eyebrows at her and she laughed. "So what else do you have out here I need to watch out for?" Edward questioned as they turned around and started heading back in the direction they'd come from.

"You mean besides me and the bears?" Bella winked one brown eye at him as they descended the steep hill they'd climbed a short while ago. "Well, there are wolves about, but they'll usually stay clear of people. There are moose too, and they are _not_ friendly at all, and lynxes," Bella rattled off, keeping track on her fingers. "Then there are rattlesnakes of course…but they avoid people if they can as well."

"So how do you feel so comfortable out here then, since there seems to be something around every bend in the trail waiting to eat you?" Edward laughed at the wild, deadly picture Bella was painting.

Bella shrugged her shoulders, the collar of her black down vest coming up to her ears. "I've lived up here long enough, I know what to look for…and where not to go," she took a gulp from her water bottle.

"Must be lonely up here sometimes," Edward commented, noticing that the forest was darkening, even though it was only late afternoon; the trees were very dense.

"It can be sometimes," Bella nodded, closing the bottle. "But I have my friends, and my animals. That's enough for now," she turned to Edward and gave him a broad grin. "I'm very anti-social," she winked and laughed lightly. "Nah, I just hate the city, and it's exciting up here."

"Exciting…not quite the word I would use," Edward laughed as they arrived back at the chalet, seeing the family also staying there playing catch in the yard, and a large black Newfoundland dog lying on the back porch. "Hey there buddy!" Bella bounded up the stairs and started playing with the enormous dog. As Edward ascended the steps, the beast jumped up and put his paws on Edward's chest, his nose sniffing at Edward's chin.

"Uhh…he's friendly?" Edward asked, getting a clear view of the long teeth in that gigantic mouth very near his face.

"Very," Bella laughed, pulling the shaggy dog off of Edward. "This is my boy Goliath…he won't attack unless you deserve it," she winked and watched her dog amble over to where the family were playing. She turned to Edward. "This is where the hike ends" she smiled. "Up for a canoe trip tomorrow?" she asked as they entered the chalet, immediately being enveloped in the warmth emitted from the fireplace.

"Sure," Edward immediately agreed. It was nice having someone his own age to hang out with; and it was certainly better than being by himself with his thoughts for the next couple of weeks, contrary to what he'd thought only yesterday.

Bella grinned. "Great, see you at nine."

Edward whipped his head around. "In the morning?!" His jaw dropped. "That's just obscene!"

"Not early enough for a REALLY good canoe trip," Bella smiled. "Friday we're going to go at five-thirty," cackling, Bella walked away before Edward could respond.

Eating a dinner of spaghetti in the dining room, Edward was thinking this vacation might be even better than he had anticipated. The couple and their little girl joined him at the table and they had a pleasant meal together, Melinda and Scott joining them all as well. Once dinner was over, Edward got up to go read in his room, but Melinda caught his wrist.

"Did you have a nice time today Edward?" She looked up at him, a hopeful smile on her lightly lined face. When Edward nodded and smiled, Melinda's smile got even broader. "I'm so glad," she squeezed his hand and turned back to the table, leaving Edward to go get a good night's sleep before the canoe trip the next day.

**A/N: I am hoping to get some reviews on this chapter! I'm not sure it's worth updating if no one is reading. But for those that see this, I hope you enjoy! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry updates are taking so long, multiple stories on the go! But I won't forget about this one, I promise! Please remember, if you read, review!!! I always appreciate comments, as does every other author. **

Edward squinted in the bright autumn sunlight as he watched Bella load up the green canoe floating in the river, just off the dock. Stifling a yawn, Edward took a sip from the coffee mug he was holding, desperately trying to wake himself up before they set out.

"Hand me the life jackets," Bella pointed at the bright orange vests just out of her reach. Edward shuffled over and leaned down to grab them, carefully holding his mug as not to spill any of his coffee. Bella laughed at his tired expression. "_How_ can you be tired still? You've been awake for an hour!"

Edward mumbled something about not sleeping well. It was true; he'd slept horribly. All night he dreamed about her face…when he told her it was over, and how his family had reacted when he told them. These dreams kept waking him up all night. Edward stood at the dock, staring off into space, lost in his unhappy thoughts.

"Hello, Earth to Edward," Bella stood up and waved her hand in front of his eyes.

Edward jumped; he'd forgotten Bella was even there. "Sorry," he said guiltily. "What did you say?"

"I said if you're ready to go, I'll take your mug in and tell Melinda we're off." Bella looked strangely at Edward, her eyebrows raised.

"Oh, sure thanks," Edward looked into his mug, and seeing some coffee still in there, drained it and handed over to Bella. She headed into the log building and shut the door. Edward sighed. Maybe the good exercise would clear his head like yesterday. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, and looked down the river, trying to see around the bend. Bella bounded out of the house, her hiking boots pounding loudly on the porch.

"All set?" Bella walked onto the dock and stood with Edward.

"Yup," Edward said, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet. The two of them climbed into the canoe, Edward at the back, Bella sitting at the front. They paddled in silence for a long time, going smoothly down the wide river. Edward's thoughts gradually moved away from his dreams and he found himself once again enjoying Bella's company.

They didn't talk much, but it wasn't the least bit uncomfortable. Instead they threw themselves into their paddling, the muscles in Edward's shoulders and arms bunching and releasing as he used the oar to force the canoe through the crystal clear water. After a half hour or so, Edward laid his paddle across the canoe and removed his vest and rolled up the sleeves of his dark blue long sleeved shirt. Bella turned around as she felt the paddling get more difficult.

"You all right?" She lifted her hand to shade her eyes as she turned her face into the sun to peer at Edward.

"Yeah, I'm just getting a little warm in the sun," Edward smiled and grabbed his paddle again, shrugging his shoulders a few times before dipping the oar back in the river.

Bella grinned. "It definitely gets warm when you're working hard," and she too shed her black down vest. Bella kept them paddling for another couple of hours, occasionally pausing to point out various animals, such as a pair of river otters, and a large Bull Moose standing at the edge of the river, watching the two of them uninterestedly.

Close to noon, Bella declared she could not paddle another minute without eating some lunch, so they set their paddles in the middle of the canoe and let it drift in the slowly flowing water. Bella carefully moved off of her knees and onto the seat, turning herself around to face Edward.

"Don't let us crash," she warned as she started unzipping the soft-sided cooler, grabbing out their lunches. Edward eased himself into the bottom of the canoe, stretching his legs out, leaning his back against the plastic canoe seat. Bella glanced up at him, tucking her bangs behind her ear so they were out of his eyes. She pulled out two sandwiches from the cooler.

"Tuna or chicken?" She raised her eyebrows shaking the sandwich bags in front of Edward.

"Tuna," he decided and his hands shot up to catch the plastic bag that Bella launched at him. "What would've happened if that fell in the river?" Edward asked, opening the sandwich and taking an enormous bite, realizing just how hungry he was.

"Fish food," Bella retorted, putting the cooler at the front of the canoe and then also lowering herself to the canoe floor, stretching out as well, her legs mingling with Edward's.

"Even the plastic bag?" Edward asked, winking at her. Bella gave him a black look as she chewed her chicken sandwich. "Kidding," Edward smiled. Bella didn't respond but twisted her torso so she could reach back into the cooler. She tossed out a couple of water bottles and two granny smith apples.

"Thanks," Edward said and took a long drink from his water bottle, tilting his head back, the sun bright on his face and making his hair shine.

Bella studied Edward for awhile, munching on her apple. She saw his happy expression start to slip again and, once she was finished eating it, threw her apple core at him, hitting him square in the chest. Edward's eyes flew open and he jumped, the canoe rocking back and forth from the sudden movement, sending droplets of water splashing over the sides.

"What was tha-"

Bella cut him off before he could finish his question, her arms crossed across her chest. "What is the deal here Edward? You're making me a little uncomfortable right now. One minute you're mister sunshine, and the next, you get _that…" _Bella motioned with her hand at Edward's face. "… expression. Is everything okay? Do you want me to leave you alone or something?" She sat back, staring at Edward, her piercing brown eyes even more intense than usual, her mouth set in a firm line.

Edward sighed, and wondered where he should begin. He felt bad for making Bella feel uncomfortable. Pushing a hand through his windblown hair, Edward apologized to her.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "I don't mean to…" Edward let his sentence trail off.

Bella raised her eyebrows and began tapping her fingers on her leg impatiently.

"Look, I just have a lot on my mind okay?" Edward started. "That's all."

"That's all," Bella echoed thoughtfully, chewing on her bottom lip. "But it's enough to make you completely miserable on your _vacation? _Sorry Edward, I don't believe you." Bella shook her head, sending her hair flying.

Suddenly irritated, Edward could feel his temper start to bubble up, but he took a deep breath through his nose and managed to respond without yelling. "Bella, it doesn't matter if you don't believe it. Why do you care anyway?" Bella started to speak, but Edward kept speaking overtop, drowning her out. "I mean, I met you yesterday, it's not like we're friends or anything!" He opened his arms. "So _excuse _me for not emptying out my soul to you!" His voice had risen by the end of his speech and he saw something subtle go across Bella's face, but she turned away before he could study her more closely.

"Fine," she said tightly. "I didn't mean to pry, seeing as we're not friends." Her voice was thick with hurt and anger. She started to lift herself back up onto the canoe seat, but Edward, overcome with a feeling of guilt reached out and grabbed her arm. Bella froze. "Let go," she said evenly.

"Bella I'm…."

"Edward, let go!" Bella yanked her arm out of his grasp.

"Bella don't!" Edward yelled, but it was too late. She had thrown herself off balance, and Edward had tried to stop her, but the canoe tipped, sending both of them into the river.

Edward resurfaced, gasping both for air and from the shock of the cold water. Edward spun in the water looking frantically for Bella. Before panic could fully set in, her head popped out of the water just beside the upside-down canoe.

"Edward?" she yelled, grabbing onto the boat.

"Here," he swam over to her. "You ok?" he asked her, noticing her teeth were chattering.

"Fine, you?" she looked over at him, her chestnut hair plastered to her head, her eyes wide.

"I'm okay, let's get to the bank," Edward and Bella started swimming, pushing the canoe in front of them until their feet could touch the riverbed. The two of them flipped over the canoe once they were at the river's edge, and were pleased to find that everything had been trapped underneath the canoe. Edward shook his head, sending his messy bronze hair flying, water spraying everywhere. Bella took no notice but picked up her vest and frowned.

"Soaked," she mumbled, rifling through the other items. Her head whipped around to look at Edward when she heard him start chuckling. "What is so funny?" she snapped, but then as she took in Edward's bedraggled appearance she too, started giggling. Soon they were both doubled over laughing, tears running from their eyes.

"We have to get back," Edward managed to get out between gasps for breath.

"I know," Bella straightened back up, suddenly serious. She turned back to the canoe and pulled out the oars.

"Bella…" Edward started again, taking an oar from her. "I _am_ sorry; I didn't mean that at all. I was just angry." He stared at her face.

"I know," she smiled. "Don't worry, I have quite the temper too sometimes," she shrugged. She reached up a hand and pulled her soaked hair over her shoulder. Edward laughed as they climbed back into the canoe, both of them shivering. They both sat in the middle of the canoe squished together, Bella half in Edward's lap, just to keep warm.

Edward spoke again about twenty minutes into their cold, windy, upriver journey. "I owe you an explanation."

Bella took her eyes off the river, and glanced at Edward. Seeing the troubled look on his pale face, she kept silent, knowing she was going to get what she asked for.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Terribly sorry this has taken so long!! This have been crazy, I injured my hand which has made much typing virtually impossible. But never fear, I haven't forgotten about this!! I hope you enjoy, and as always, reviews are very much appreciated! **

_Edward pulled his car into his driveway and hit his garage door opener. He eased his car into the enormous garage and immediately cut the engine, forgetting to put it into park. "Shit" he cursed as he went to open his door and the car started rolling backwards. Turning the silver Volvo back on, he put it into park and then took the keys out of the ignition. Leaning his head on the steering wheel, Edward sighed. He was so incredibly tired; this was the first night he'd been home before 2am in weeks. Before that he hadn't seen his house in four months. _

_Edward got out and locked up his car and stepped onto his front porch. Before he could unlock the front door, his keys slipped from his hand and fell into one of the flowerpots his mother had placed on either side of the doorway. He gently hit his head on the wide doorframe. _

_"That won't help, you know," came a soft voice, and Edward nearly jumped out of his skin as his front door was pulled open. Squinting in the sudden brightness pouring from his front hall, Edward could make out the silhouette of his girlfriend. _

_"Jesus Tanya, you scared the hell out of me," Edward muttered as he reached into the hallway and flicked the switch for the porch light up. _

_"Sorry," Tanya said, taken aback. "I thought you'd be happy to see me," she said, almost challengingly. _

_Edward sighed again as he leaned down to rummage through the flowers for his keys. "I AM glad to see you, just give me a sec to unwind. You scared me," He straightened up, jingling his keys. "Got 'em," Edward managed a small smile which was immediately interrupted by a yawn. Tanya rolled her eyes and turned, walking into the house in front of Edward. Raising his brows, Edward followed her in, shutting and locking the door behind him. _

_Tossing his keys on the hallway table Edward made his way into the kitchen, as Tanya moved into the living room. _

_"Do you want some coffee?" Edward yelled as he pulled the pot out of the coffee maker and started filling it with water. _

_"No," came Tanya's voice, absently as if she wasn't paying attention. Edward turned the tap off and set about turning the coffee maker on. "Well then come in here anyway," he said, starting to become more alert as he could smell the coffee grounds he'd just dumped into the machine. _

_"What's up?" Tanya wandered into the kitchen; her bare feet silent over the tiled floor. _

_Edward pulled his girlfriend into his arms, resting his chin on top of her glossy strawberry blonde curls. "I missed you."_

_She turned her head so she could look up at Edward. "I missed you too," she grinned and stood on her tiptoes so she could gently kiss him. He returned the kiss, and they stayed there, leaning against the granite countertop for several minutes, until they were interrupted by a yawn from Edward. _

_"Sorry," he smothered the yawn with his hand. "It's been such a long day. Let me get a cup of coffee in me and I'm all yours," he grinned sleepily as he turned around and poured himself a mug of hot, fresh coffee. "How long were you waiting here?" Edward asked, walking behind Tanya into the living room, his mug clutched in his hands, warming them. _

_"Couple hours," she replied, studying her perfectly manicured fingernails. The two of them sat on the brown leather couch, sinking into its soft cushions. Wow she's really quiet, Edward thought, watching Tanya continue to stare at her hands. _

_"Everything okay?" he asked softly, taking a sip from his mug, trying to look into Tanya's hazel eyes. She remained silent for a few moments and Edward felt unease start to build up in his stomach. Something definitely wasn't right. The feeling in the room grew increasingly tense as she brought a fingernail up to her mouth and bit it; something she NEVER did, unless she was stressed or angry._

_"Tan?" Edward prodded a little less gently, setting his coffee down on the table and turning himself toward her reaching for her hand. She pulled away just as his fingers brushed the back of her hand. Crossing his arms, he stood up. He was visibly frustrated now, moving so he was standing directly in front of the petite girl, towering over her as she sat on the couch. _

_"Are you going to say it or am I just supposed to guess?" Edward asked, tapping his fingers on his arm impatiently, arms still crossed tightly across his chest._

_"You need to make a choice Edward. Right now," Tanya finally looked Edward in the eye. Her expression was angry. There was something else in there as well, but Edward couldn't put his finger on it despite the fact they had been together for nearly two years. _

_He motioned with his hand for her to continue. He decided against speaking for the time being. _

_ "Look," Tanya said, taking a deep breath. "You never make time for me…or US for that matter. I'm not here for your… convenience Edward." Her eyes bored into him as she spoke. Edward opened his mouth to interrupt her. _

"_Tanya you KNOW-"_

_She cut across him. "I'm not finished Edward. The way I see it…you have two options. One, you can cut down your hours and pay attention to the other things in your life. Or two, you can stop touring and stop putting out CDs for awhile so we can get OUR life going, not just yours. Honestly Edward, I hate this." Tanya's voice cracked and tears started leaking out from the corners of her eyes. She wiped the tears away quickly. _

_"Tanya," Edward inhaled deeply. "I have asked you to come with me more times than I care to count right now. Whenever I'm home you're always too busy, and you KNOW my schedule! It's not as if I haven't made the effort!" Edward sat down on the coffee table so he was facing her. "This is not all my fault you know, that's not fair." He pushed some stray locks of hair off his forehead, unsure what to do with his hands as he sat there, awaiting her response. _

_"You know I can't go with you Edward!" Tanya snapped standing up and walking away so she couldn't see his face. "I have my friends, my family is here!" _

_"And I don't!?" Edward's head snapped around. _

_"Come on Edward, you have your BAND," Tanya's voice dripped with contempt. "They know you better than I do now."_

_"Yeah, they're great, but I wanted YOU there. For Christ's sake," Edward sighed and stood up. "What are we doing? You're mad at me because of my job! The job that allows me to have this life, to give you the things you want! What do you want me to do Tanya? This is my career!"_

_"Quit," came a timid response. _

_***_

"You're kidding me," Bella gasped, her green eyes wide. "She j-just wanted you to quit?" She couldn't help her stuttering, her teeth were chattering with cold.

Edward kept his eyes on the river ahead of them, but he nodded. "Yeah," he said sadly. "But then she made my decision a hell of a lot easier."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Again I must apologize for taking so long to update! The hand is being problematic, and I'm working on the story in short bursts when I can handle some typing. But it is still in the works, I do promise! Please review! They make me happy ******** Enjoy!**

**Chapter 5**

"_Pardon?" Edward cocked his head, unsure he had heard Tanya correctly. She turned to face him, her eyes wide and sparkling. _

_"Quit, Edward! It would all be okay then! No more insane hours, no more months away from home. From ME!" She stepped forward and grabbed his hand. "Get a regular job; we can still make this work!"_

_Edward stared hard at Tanya for long moments, seeing her in a whole different light. _

_"You… did you really just ask me to quit?" Edward asked, dropping Tanya's small hand and taking a step back, still staring hard at her. _

_"Edward, it's just music! You can still perform around here!"_

_"Just music," Edward repeated slowly. "You have no idea, do you?"_

_"I know you love playing the piano but-" but Edward cut her off before she could finish. _

_"You don't. You've never even heard me play, you've never come to a show! I mean, I know you're not into music but if you can't understand…no, RESPECT the fact that music is a major part of my life; then we have a problem. I can't just stop Tanya…and you won't accept that, so…this has to end."_

_Tanya had been staring at the floor while Edward spoke, fiddling with her bracelet. At his last words, her hands froze, her fingers still wound through the delicate chain. Slowly she raised her head. _

_"What?"_

_"I can't do it anymore Tan," Edward said quietly. "You never took an interest, you don't care, so it HAS to stop. I'm sorry Tanya." Edward frowned and peered into her face, tears flowing down her cheeks in earnest now. _

_"But…but I love you," she choked out. "Edward, you can't…" Tanya covered her eyes with her hand, her shoulders shaking. _

_Edward was unsure how to respond. He felt guilty for breaking her heart, but at the same time, he felt lighter, as if he had achieved some new freedom he didn't have before. Taking a shaky breath, Tanya uncovered her eyes. Without looking at Edward, she made her way around him and into the kitchen, grabbing her purse and keys off the smooth grey countertop. _

_"Tan, wait," Edward started, half-heartedly. She paused as she opened the front door. _

_"Don't you dare," she whispered, turning her head to the side, to glance at him out of the corner of her eye. She dashed out the door, her low heels clacking on the driveway as she went out to the road to get her car. With a roar of the engine, she sped away from his house, running the stop sign at the end of the road, turned left and was gone. _

_Edward stood in the doorway for a little while, letting the cool night wind clear his head before heading back into his empty house. Not even his Dalmatian, Jake, was there to keep him company. Jake had stayed at his parents' house, while he was on the last leg of his tour. Edward was to pick him up in the morning. Shutting and locking the door, Edward flicked off his porch light and walked slowly to the living room, dragging his feet along the floor. Realizing he hadn't even taken off his shoes yet, Edward stooped to untie them and tossed them to the floor. He straightened up and leaned backwards, stretching out his back. He hadn't realized how tense he'd become in the last twenty minutes. Twenty minutes…that's all it takes Edward thought, grabbing his half full coffee mug and taking a sip, grimacing at the now cold coffee. Trudging into the kitchen, his coffee was unceremoniously dumped down the drain and he set the mug into the sink. _

_Tanya's expression as she'd walked into the kitchen…Edward had never seen a look on her face like that before. He walked to the fridge and pulled out a beer. He hoisted his slim frame up onto the hard counter and took a swig from the bottle in his hand. I did the right thing, Edward thought, swallowing his drink and taking another sip. She didn't care, doesn't understand…there will be someone who will. Sometime. He sighed and jumped off the counter, downing the rest of his beer quickly. Leaving the bottle on the counter, Edward hit the light switch and left the dark kitchen, heading to his bedroom where he fell into a deep, but all too short sleep. _

_Edward opened his eyes and squinted at the bright light shining right on his face. He groaned and realized that he had left the curtains open. His eyes found the clock and he was dismayed to see that it was only 6:45. "Why?" he moaned, draping his arm over his eyes, blocking out the sunlight. Realizing he wasn't going to fall back to sleep, Edward sighed in defeat and sat up, his bronze hair sticking up in the worst case of bed-head he'd had in a long time. Standing up, he realized he still wore the dark jeans and white long-sleeved shirt he'd been wearing since 5:30am the day before. "Gross," he muttered standing up and shuffling across the carpet into the bathroom. Turning the shower on and letting the water warm up, Edward turned and looked in the bathroom mirror and did a double take. I look like shit, he thought, staring at the dark circles under his eyes and his nearly transparent skin. I had better not be getting sick, he told himself as he turned from the mirror and undressed, stepping into the steaming shower. _

_Ten minutes later, feeling slightly more alert and greatly refreshed, Edward stepped out of the shower, wrapping a navy blue towel around his waist and pushing his dripping hair off of his forehead. The clock display in his room showed 7:13 and he decided he'd get dressed and stop by Starbucks before heading to his parents' house; he knew they'd be up, being early risers and all. Dressed in a pair of worn jeans and a dark blue t-shirt, Edward headed out his front door, his still damp hair making him shiver in the early morning wind. _

_The sleek car seemed to drive itself to Starbucks, as its driver had become increasingly preoccupied. Edward had realized that when he arrived to pick up Jake, he'd have to tell his family about Tanya. He was dreading the moment he told them, but also knew that he couldn't put it off. There was just no hiding anything in the Groban family. _

_Coffee in hand, Edward drove to his parent's home, taking the longest route possible. Pulling onto the tree-lined street full of nice, but modest houses, he drove slowly towards his destination, finally backing into the familiar driveway. Hearing a faint barking, Edward turned and smiled as he saw Jake's head in the living room window. The dog was barking like crazy, jumping up and down as soon as he recognized Edward. Before he could even ring the doorbell, his brother Emmett pulled open the front door, a grouchy expression on his face. _

_"Morning," Edward said smirking at his younger brother's sneer._

_"Dude, get your dog out of here before I stick his muzzle in a vice," Emmett muttered as Edward's pet bounded into the hallway, still barking loudly._

_"Hey buddy!" Edward dropped to his knees and rubbed the pup's tummy and Jake wriggled around in front of him before leaping up and slobbering all over Edward's face. Laughing, he got to his feet as he saw his mother come into the living room. "Hey Mom!" Edward took off his shoes and walked in, giving Esme an enormous hug._

_She returned the hug and planted a kiss on her son's scruffy cheek. Pulling back, she studied her boy and she frowned. _

_"Edward Anthony Cullen! You haven't been taking care of yourself! You look absolutely terrible!" Esme placed a hand on Edward's cheek and looked into his eyes. Edward knew she could tell something was going on, but thankfully didn't push the matter just then. Following his mother into the kitchen, Edward glanced back and saw Emmett trying to get Jake to be quiet. _

_"Shut up!" Emmett yelled at him, which made the dog even more excited and he started howling. _

_"Jake," Edward called. The dog's head whipped around. "Come here," Edward patted his hand on his thigh and his dog came trotting over and lay down with a small sigh at Edward's feet as his owner sat himself at the island in the kitchen. "Where's Dad?" Edward asked his mother as she rummaged around in the kitchen, evidently preparing breakfast for her sons. _

_"Oh, you know your father," Esme said, grinning broadly, her smile lighting up her face. "He's been up for hours. I think he already weeded the garden and now he's gone out biking." She turned back to her stove where she had eggs starting to cook in a frying pan. "Scrambled or over easy?"_

_"Scrambled," Edward replied, downing the glass of orange juice his mother had placed in front of him. _

_"Emmett? Is scrambled okay?" Esme shouted, loud enough so her youngest could hear her anywhere in the house. _

_"Whatever," came Emmett's voice from somewhere upstairs. _

_"Did you already eat Mom?" Edward asked, drumming his fingers on the edge of the island, tapping out intricate rhythms. _

_"Oh yes," Esme replied, turning and dividing the eggs between two plates, adding two slices of whole wheat toast to each plate as well, with some cherry tomatoes on the side. "Here sweetie, eat up. You look half-starved."_

_Edward smiled and then dove in, wolfing down his breakfast. He hadn't realized quite how hungry he was. Jake was having a field day as Edward dropped one of his pieces of toast. He sighed and allowed his dog to finish his breakfast, snagging one of his brother's toasts._

_Emmett plodded into the kitchen, walking heavily and making as much noise as possible. _

_"You could be more cheerful you know," Esme rolled her eyes at her son. "Some welcome you give your brother after not seeing him for two months!"_

_Emmett simply grunted in reply and inhaled his breakfast before leaving the kitchen and heading, presumably, back to bed. _

_Edward smiled, but ducked his head so his mother couldn't see; he could tell she was annoyed with his brother. He heard something scraping across the ceramic tile floor and glanced up to see his Mom seated across from Edward, her elbows on top of the island. _

_"Edward," she started, looking straight at him; her eyes gentle, but still he felt like they could see through him. "What's happened?" She reached across and laid her small hand across Edward's larger one. _

_"Mom," Edward inhaled deeply._

_"Just spit it out sweetie, it will be easier that way." _

_"I broke up with Tanya last night." Edward pulled his hand away from his mother's and leaned back slightly, waiting for her reaction. _

_"You…broke up with Tanya," Esme repeated slowly, a confused expression on her face. "Edward…I thought you were coming to tell me you'd proposed to her!" She stood up, her normally pleasant face suddenly flushed and extremely animated. _

_"What?" Edward asked, taken aback. "Why in the world would you think that?" He pushed his right hand through his messy hair, at a loss of what else to say. _

_"You come in here…you have that expression you always wear when you want to tell me something. You were in a good mood and you just finished a tour so I know there's nothing new on the business front. What else could it have been Edward?" Esme was gesturing with her hands as she spoke, her voice getting louder and louder the entire time. _

_"Mom, listen to me," Edward decided it was best to stop her now before she really got going. "Why would I propose to Tanya now? I just got home, I haven't seen her in months, it doesn't make sense!"_

_"So instead of proposing you just ended it, because what? It was too much bother to make a commitment to someone?" Esme was breathing hard, clearly upset with her son. _

_"She asked me to quit!" Edward yelled in frustration, standing up and facing his mother, towering above her. "Mom, she asked me to quit playing, to give it up. She didn't understand, she didn't care, and it just had to be done!" Esme abruptly closed her mouth and her eyes widened. _

_"What?" she gasped, clutching at Edward's hand. _

_"Yeah Mom. I don't think you want me to marry someone who doesn't give a shit about what I do," Edward pulled his hand away and started striding to the door. "Nice to know what you really think of me though." He grabbed Jake's leash and bowls and stormed out of the house, letting the door slam behind him. _

_Once he had Jake in the car, Edward climbed in and threw the vehicle into drive and, tires squealing, sped away from his parents' house, passing his father arriving home on his bicycle. _

_At home, Edward was lying on his living room couch aimlessly flipping through channels on TV when his phone rang. _

_"'Lo," he answered unenthusiastically. _

_"Edward, what the hell happened?" It was Carlisle, Edward's father on the phone. _

_"What, you mean Mom didn't tell you," Edward rolled his eyes and rolled onto his back. _

_"She said you broke up with Tanya, but I think she must be confused."_

_Edward laughed. "She's right. I did break it off with her. It wasn't working, so I ended it." He was pleased with his shortened version of the story, he knew his father wouldn't ask too many questions. There was silence for a few moments. _

_"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that, son. Your mother wants to drop in on you; I think she wants to apologize." Edward could hear muffled voices in the background and realized his mother was standing right beside Carlisle. _

_"Tell her I'm busy." Edward glanced at the television and saw an ad for some Canadian rail line…VIA Rail. "Tell her I'm going on vacation."_

_"You're what?" _

_"Dad, I'm going on a vacation. I'm tired, I need a break, I need some time alone. I'll see you in a few weeks. Love to you and Mom and Emmett, if he's conscious." Edward hit the end button on the phone and then dialled a local travel agent. _

_"Hello. Yes, I'd like to book a vacation… somewhere very secluded… yes that sounds perfect."_


End file.
